Field of the invention: This invention is in the field of folding blade knives and more particularly this invention relates to a blade locking mechanism for a knife that enables the knife to be opened or closed with one hand.
Description of the prior art: Knives are extensively used by ranchers, farmers, paramedics, sailors etc. to perform their many tasks and such persons usually carry a knife of some type with them. Folding blade knives are the easiest and most comfortable knife to carry but they have the disadvantage that normally two hands are needed to open the blade of a folding blade knife. These people are regularly faced with the need to open a folding knife with one hand while performing a task. Some folding blade knives can be closed using one hand but since the handle must be grasped in one hand and the blade moved with a finger of the same hand there is a danger of the hand being cut by a sharp blade. So far as known there are no folding blade knives, other than switch blades which are often illegal and lack the strength needed for a working knife, that are capable of being easily opened and closed with one hand.